Posted on 01/01/2005 1:07:41 AM PST by DoctorZIn
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Iraqi Prime Minister warns Iran, Syria to stop disrupting peace
Fri. 31 Dec 2004
Iran FocusBaghdad, Dec. 31 - The Iraqi interim-Prime Minister, Ayad Allawi, speaking on Iraqi TV today echoed comments made yesterday by Iraq’s Defence Minister, about Iranian and Syrian meddling in Iraq. “There are countries which host those who are involved in activities that are harmful to the people of Iraq”, he said.
Allawi made the comments in response to a question by Al-Iraqiah satellite TV channel on Iranian and Syrian meddling in Iraq and the recent evidence that had been obtained in that regard.
Allawi said that he had written to Iraq’s neighbours giving names and specific information that had been discovered and that he was now awaiting a response. “We are waiting for a response from them (Iran and Syria)”, he said.
The Iraqi Defence Minister, Hazem Shaalan, announced yesterday that he had fresh information on Iranian and Syrian meddling in Iraq. “I have important information regarding the interference into Iraq by these two countries”, Hazem Shaalan said. Speaking on Al-Arabia satellite TV channel, Shaalan stated, “The Iraqi people will soon see footage of the confessions of one of the perpetrators who has information about the meddling of these two countries in Iraq”.
Allawi, questioned about the footage, replied “Certain countries host those who harm the Iraqi people … we will not tolerate harm done to the people of Iraq”.
Allawi’s words displayed a strong sense of frustration towards Iran and Syria. He said that his government would not turn a blind-eye to “foreign meddling”, forever.
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Iran's Mullah Blames US for Terrorism
Dec 31, 2004, 10:58
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Mullah Rowhani here on Thursday blamed US efforts to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries for deteriorating terrorism worldwide.
Mullah said the fact that the US is using other countries as its base for promoting tyranny as well as the torture of Iraqi prisoners have also had a major contribution to the spread of terrorism.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has always announced the US-led campaign against terrorism is a "bogus slogan", Rowhani said, adding that the roots of terrorism -- which he named as tyranny and injustice -- must be addressed.
Mullah, in a speech at a meeting with the people of Semnan, said Washington's current policies toward the issue of terrorism would increase the hatred of the world toward the US.
He said that Iran has adopted an independent stance toward regional and global developments within the frameworks of its own policies.
Iran has been able to successfully stay away from threats, Rowhani said, while praising Iran's prudent positions toward world developments.
He said US officials have always been looking for pretexts to attack Iran, but voiced pleasure that they have not been successful in this regard.
On nuclear issues, Mullah said that the US had created a ballyhoo about Iran's nuclear energy program so as to lead Iran into a crisis, stressing that the Islamic Republic has managed to avoid crisis.
Powell expects emergence of peace the year ahead
Washington, Jan. 1.(PTI): US Secretary of State Colin Powell has hoped that the New Year would witness the emergence of peace in the strife-torn areas of the world and would see countries move towards democracy and free trade.
"The wish I have every year, that we can find peace in so many of the troubled spots of the world; that we can continue to help Afghanistan on its path to peace and democracy; we can do the same thing in Iraq," Powell told ABC-TV on New Year's eve.
"I think 2005 gives us an opportunity to solve many crises. Libya has given up its nuclear weapons. Iran and North Korea are under the spotlight of the international community.
It may be an opportunity in the Middle East with new leadership coming in place," he said.
Voicing his support for democracy and and open economic systems, Powell hoped that countries the world over would work towards achieving these objectives.
Iran nuke case diplomatically solvable: Germany
Saturday, January 01, 2005 - ©2004 IranMania.comLONDON, Jan 1 (IranMania) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he was confident Iran's nuclear energy case would be resolved diplomatically.
"Germany has proved together with France and Britain that such conflicts are diplomatically solvable," Schroeder said in an interview with the Hamburg-based magazine Stern, IRNA quoted.
The German chancellor also voiced confidence that the US was not against Europe's diplomatic initiative toward Iran.
"I firmly believe that," he added.
Germany, France and Britain have been involved in sensitive talks with Iran to finalize a long-term political, economic and security agreement.
Earlier on Wednesday, Germany's ambassador to the United States, Wolfgang Ischinger, called on Washington to support Europe's Iran initiative for a long-term accord on nuclear, economic and security cooperation, DPA quoted in an advance report in the weekly newspaper Zeit.
Germany's top diplomat in the US said current negotiations between Iran and the European Union stood better chances of succeeding if Washington would be "ready to talk with Tehran bilaterally and multilaterally".
Ischinger criticized America's hardline Iran policy, saying it "hardly offered any substance other than sanctions".
Leading German politicians in recent weeks have repeatedly urged the US to start direct talks with Iran.
Dec. 30, 2004 2:40 | Updated Dec. 30, 2004 2:42
Time to pull the plug?
By AMIR TAHERIDoes Arab satellite television incite audiences to violence and, indeed, terrorism?
This is one of the questions raised at the many conferences on reform that have filled the Arab calendar ever since President George W. Bush called for a democratization of the Middle East.
Since all the TV networks in question belong to kings, emirs, sheikhs, viziers, and other big shots, the official answer to the incitement question is an emphatic "No."
But anyone who watches Arab TV for a certain length of time, as this writer did over six weeks recently, would regard the official answer as disingenuous.
Most Arab satellite networks, especially Al-Jazeera, which is owned by the ruler of Qatar, operate on the same principles as TV stations controlled by televangelists in the United States. They are not really interested in news as such. Their business is views. They have a message to relay and often do it in ways that could only be described as propaganda.
Broadly, this message is based on the claim that the Arabs are the victims of a plot hatched by the Western powers, especially the United States, that wish to re-colonize the Arab world, steal its natural resources, notably oil, and impose their corrupt culture on Muslim nations.
The most dramatic symbol of that conspiracy is Palestine where Israel, presumably acting on behalf of the US, although at times it is presented as the real power-behind-the-throne in Washington, is engaged in wanton killing of innocent civilians.
The latest example of the Western conspiracy is seen in Iraq, where "the resistance" – meaning terrorists who seize hostages, chop heads, and kill Iraqis as well as Americans – are upholding "Arab honor."
THESE THEMES are hammered in on a 24-hour basis and in countless so-called news bulletins plus talk shows and long monologues, including some by Osama bin Laden, Abu-Musaab al-Zarqawi and other terrorist leaders.
The Arab big shots who own the channels allow the diatribe to go unchallenged because they hope it diverts popular anger away from the rulers and toward the United States and Israel. The Arab oppositionists, for their part, delude themselves that by vilifying the US they indirectly harm the Arab despots backed by Washington. The whole thing leads to a kind of virtual politics that gives the Arab elite the same kind of pleasure that some draw from pornography.
The effect on the broader Arab society, however, could be more pernicious because it could lead to violence and terror.
Let's see how this is done.
We must first assume that constant exposure to television over a sufficiently long span of time is likely to have some impact on the viewer. For if there is no impact, there is no reason why Arab big shots should spend so much money on loss-making ventures. (Al-Jazeera, for example, has lost some $65 million since its launch in 1996, plus the $137 million seed money from the emir of Qatar).
The big shots claim that they are airing Arab grievances.
The question is: What effect does such airing of grievance have on the Arabs?
Mercifully, most Arabs are not directly affected because they have no access to satellite TV. The 10 percent who do have access are likely to react in different ways.
They cannot react by voting for or against someone in any election because hardly any Arab state holds meaningful elections. The Arab satellite TV watchers cannot react by demonstrating, either. In most Arab states, even spontaneous demonstrations are organized by the secret service (Mukahberat). The Arab satellite TV watcher cannot react even by writing a letter to the editor because most Arab newspapers offer no such facility, and those that do would not allow any Tom, Dick, and Harry to have a say in important matters.
So what would the Arab satellite TV watchers do?
The largest number would probably draw some masochistic pleasure from their asserted status as victim but would do nothing beyond nursing their chagrin.A second group might try to buy some ease of conscience by making financial contributions to the many radical groups that have mushroomed in the past two decades. At least part of that money is certain to end up in the hands of terrorists.
Finally, an even smaller group might decide to react by personally doing something. Since all avenues of normal political activity are closed in most Arab states, the only way out is violence, which is the ante-chamber of terrorism.
Here is a piece of advice from Sheikh Yussuf Qaradawi, the Egyptian cleric who hosts Al-Jazeera's most popular talk show, Religion and Life: "Turn your children into human bombs and send them to kill the Jews! Our struggle must continue until Islam triumphs."
If that has no effect, why waste time and energy? If it does have some effect, it is, perhaps, time for the Arab big shots to ask what that effect is likely to be.
I like it. Go Allawi!
If Rawheine would mullah this over a bit more, he'd realize that terrorism has fluorished in the middle-east for a lot longer than U.S. involvement there has.
It is always nice to see that his nation still has it's share of stand-up comics in positions of power.
Sadly for him, Allawi has about used up his season pass to the floor shows, and seems about ready to introduce some new acts of his own.
God-speed Allawi.
German Chancellor Gerhard is schroedering his credibility as a national leader.
Iran will not submit to negotiations in good faith.
That's the truth of it. Now get over it!
This is another flash video of July 9th student demonstration. The song used is a famous Iranian one called, "My Schoolmate".
http://www.siahsepid.com/18tir.htm
Unless we take action these folks will think were kidding. Years ago an old timer told me a story about a bar fight that took place in Louisville, Kentucky. It was late at night at the Dew Drop Inn, a really rough bar down by the stockyards. This big guy, maybe 6'4" 230 pounds minding his own business drinking beer by himself at the bar is being harassed by a drunk. The drunk was built like a fire plug and was a nasty little bastard usually looking for a fight. This went on for a while until the little guy finally pissed the big guy off enough to get him to go outside for a fight. A crowd rushed out of the bar to witness the fight thinking that the little guy who was really tough would get the best of the big guy, who was rather mild mannered.
The little guy rushed the big guy thinking his speed would help help take the big guy down quickly. Just as he got to the big guy with one motion the big guy grab him, lifted him up and slammed him up against the side of the bar. Holding him off the ground the little guy quickly decided that he made a mistake and told the big guy he was only kidding around and he shouldn't get so excited. At that the big guy said slowly, "it's too f**king late.....and hit the little s**Thead in the face with a following sound that was described to be the same as a watermelon smashing on a sidewalk.
The moral of the story is don't mess with the big dog, eventually he'll bite back.
Warnings are no good without a stick to back it up. I wonder what the stick is? /sarcasm
Iran's Presidential Poll Set for June 17
aljazeera.com
1/1/2005
Iran’s Guardian Council (GC) has agreed that the presidential elections be held on June 17, 2005, GC spokesman, Gholam Hossein Elham, said on Saturday.
The Guardians Council is a conservative-held monitoring body that vets legislation, candidates for public office and polls. It had refused earlier proposals from the interior ministry for the elections to be held in mid-May.
Elham said during his weekly press briefing that the council also approved the date of the parliamentary elections, noting that it will be held on the same day as the presidential polls.
Many influential conservative politicians have already entered the presidential race to replace President Mohammad Khatami, who served two consecutive terms and is banned by the constitution from a third presidential term.
Peace Prize Laureate, Iranian Shririn Ebadi, will also run for presidency in the upcoming elections.
14 groups such as the Council in Defense of Prisoners' Rights as well as independent human rights activists will set up a coalition to support Ebadi's candidacy.
Former foreign minister, Ali Akbar Velayati, currently a senior advisor to supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced that he will run for presidency. Also Mohsen Rezai, a former chief of the Revolutionary Guards, and Ali Larijani, the longtime head of Iran's state broadcast media, will join the race.
Iran’s senior national security official and nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rohani, said that he was considering joining the list of presidential candidates, while former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, considers participation but hasn’t yet declared his final decision.
The Islamic republic’s main reform party, the Participation Front (IIPF) nominated former higher education minister, Mostafa Moin, as its official candidate, while Vice President, Mohsen Mehr-Alizadeh, joined the presidential race.
Former parliament speaker, Mehdi Karoubi, hasn’t yet decided whether to stand or not.
http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=6573
*******See Comments Below From Readers in Iran*******
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what oke....what election are we talking about the one that you can pick between two conservative fundamentalist
Standard Comment (Click to Rate) FM from IRAN
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baz hala mikhan baraye mah shahkarikonan...ya shayad moolahkari? please wake me up when we can have real elections this is no election is a selecion.
Standard Comment (Click to Rate) Arian from Iran
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yes indeed, another rigged election with the conservatives in that country pulling the strings to set up another puppet to yet fool the poor iranians. hopefully a democratic iraq will start to sway things in that part of the world, namely iran, syria, and saudi arabia
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an election run by occupying forces? hahahaha. can u spell j o k e. all participants shud be burnt at t stake
Well, I really have no idea why most insist on comparing Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia with Iran.
There will be an impact on Iran if the election in Iraq goes on time but there are big differences between the Arab societies and Iranian society. I do not seen any point in comparing these societies with each other.
This thread is now closed.
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